Baby Skunk
As we enter mid-June we find ourselves in one of the quieter times of the avian season as nearly all of our northbound migrants have found their way to their nesting grounds. A few birds may still be trickling through, but most of what we see now is breeding in our region. This seasonal bird post is being hijacked to deliver another message with a Sunday skunk! Isn’t it adorable? I saw this baby skunk earlier this week, and it reminded me to put out a brief message about the many miniature mammals we see emerging as we head into summer. While they are so very cute, we want to treat...
Read MoreBlack-throated Blue Warbler
I finally took a good photo of a male Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) earlier this week! However, it was not without tremendous persistence and many failed attempts, as is the beauty of digital photography. What you cannot see is that I edited out the black-legged or deer tick attached to this poor guy’s face. The tick was engorged just in front of his eye, a precarious place to scratch. Please keep ticks in mind as you go outdoors this season as many people still neglect to take any precautions or check themselves after being outdoors. Some doctors are still...
Read MoreLighthouse Lightning
We really are saying goodbye to the summertime now and hello again to some more dry conditions (unfortunately) in the Northeast. Stratford Point had a good run of thunderstorms for a week or so in mid-August, but even these photos show a storm that is over Long Island Sound and ended up providing a very light shower for literally a minute or two. Nevertheless, the pink explosions against the blue clouds all lit by the setting sun provided a pretty scene. I was also able to capture one of the few cloud to ground lightning strikes on the Sound to the east of the Stratford Point Light. Parts of...
Read MoreUnintentional Disturbances Threaten Waterbirds
There are a number of activities that can unintentionally scare, disturb or even threaten the survival of our waterbirds throughout the spring and summer seasons. Even a person with good intentions can fail to realize how sensitive a bird like the Piping Plover is, feeling threatened by dogs on the leash as they still see them as a predator invading their territory, making birds more prone to abandoning the area, wasting valuable energy or separating them from eggs or young, increasing mortality. Most beaches in Connecticut ban all dogs during the warm seasons in consideration of public...
Read MoreDon’t feed the deer
As tempting as it may be it is NOT healthy for the wild White-tailed Deer, or you, if they are fed by humans. I can recall some winter days as a child where hungry deer were laying in our backyard for prolonged periods. The winter season can be very difficult on these friendly mammals but it is not in their best interest, health or safety to start eating anything we put out whether it is for caring about an individual, an attempt to protect other plants, to supplement the population, or any other reason. The Maine governmental website has an extremely extensive and detailed list of why we...
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